April 12, 2013

Fred Heatherington's crew pounded out 17 hits in running its record to 5-3. Four Big Red players had multiple-hit games, Matt Petrella pacing the way with his four singles.

After spotting the Crusaders a 2-0 first-inning lead, Big Red erupted for six tallies. Justin Corsi and Evan Westlake both knocked home a pair with doubles up the alley in left center. Petrella and Mason Heatherington had run-scoring singles.

The Big Red would add two more in the second (Corsi and Westlake again driving in runs) and a single tally in the third. John Linn belted a double to right and scored on a Petrella base knock.

Paul DeFrances' two-RBI single was the big blow of the sixth-run fourth which produced an early end to the contest. Big Red sent 10 batters to the plate in the first and 13 in the fourth.

"We hit the ball well and hard throughout the lineup," Heatherington said. "If we continue to do that and keep putting pressure on the defense, we should be OK going forward."

Pat Pizzoferrato joined Petrella in the multiple-hit club, pounding out three singles. Corsi and Westlake both had a double and a single.

Corsi went the distance on the hill to collect the victory. After surrendering the two runs in the first, he settled down and blanked the Crusaders until the fifth. He allowed nine hits, three coming in the first and three in the fifth.

"He wasn't real sharp early, but he settled down and battled," Heatherington said of his junior hurler.

"He only had command of one pitch tonight. He needs to get all three working.

"All in all, however, it was just good to be out playing."

Singles by Chris Murphy, Aleks Porreca and Brenton Colabella keyed the Crusader rally in the initial frame. Corsi hit two Central batters to help the effort. Kyle Laukert and Colabella drove home the runs.

In the fifth, Colabella led off with a single, advanced on Stone Romano's stinger to left and scored on Josh Merriman's fly to center.

Murphy, Colabella and Tony Barber had two hits each for Don Young's club.

Porreca was tagged with the pitching loss.

"We need to field better, pitch better, hit better and coach better," Young said of his now 4-3 squad. "We just need to do everything better."

Central will go to work on doing everything better today, weather permitting, when it meets Parkersburg Catholic at Weirton's Bowman Field. The Crusaders will play two games Saturday, facing Huntington St. Joseph (that game will be played at Belleview and start at 9 a.m.) and Tuscarawas Central Catholic (a 5 p.m. start at Vacarro).

Big Red is scheduled to entertain Streetsboro for a pair of games Saturday.

The first pitch is set for 11 a.m. Streetsboro is coached by Chris Scisicani, a 1995 Big Red graduate.